commiffion appeared to them to contain no other authority of importance than was comprized in the Act of Parliament; for, as to the power of enquiring into the state of America, and transmitting the refult of fuch enquiry to England, they apprehend any expectation from the effect of such a power would have been too precarious for America to have relied upon, had the continued in her state of dependence." Thus all hope of fuccess in consequence of negotiation vanished, much to the fatisfaction of the friends of American Independence, who dreaded left the powers vested in the Commiffioners should have proved so extenfive as to create a serious difference of opinion as to the propriety of treating; but this the abounding pride and deficient wisdom of the English Court most effectually prevented. No suspension of arms having taken place, several ships of war were previous to the conference sent up the East and North Rivers, which lave the coasts of the long and narrow peninfula at the extremity of which the city of New York is situated. The army of General Washington being stationed, part in the environs of the city, and part at Kingsbridge, on the isthmus which connects the peninsula with the continent, apprehenfions were entertained that the English General, by landing his forces in the centre, would cut off the communication between them; on which a resolution was taken, immediately mediately to evacuate the city; and on the actual landing of the British forces, the Americans retreated with precipitation and some loss to Kingsbridge, where they had erected strong works. The greater part of the army were now re-embarked, and again landed near West Chester, with a view to gain the rear of General Washington's encampment, and to enclose him in his fastnesses on all fides. The American Commander, alarmed by the remonstrances of General Lee, who had recently joined him, perceived the neceffity of making a grand movement, in order to counteract this project; and immediately decamping with his whole army, took a new and strong position at White Plains, the deep river Brunx covering his front, and the North River flowing at some distance in the rear.

On the 28th of October, the royal army advanced in two columns within cannon-fhot of the American lines; and a part of the left wing, croffing the river, attacked an advanced post of the American encampment, commanded by General Macdougal, who was compelled to retreat with loss to the main army; the right and centre, fortunately for the Americans, did not quit the ground on which they had at first formed. The next day; General Howe, observing the American lines much strengthened by additional works, resolved to defer the attack till the arrival of the troops which had been left on York Island; who joining him at the expected time, new dispositions were made for attacking the American lines on the last day of October, but inceffant rains prevented the execution of his plan: and in the night of the ist of November, General Washington drew off his troops, and took another and still stronger pofition, amidst the woods and high lands bordering on the North Castle district. General Howe, perceiving that the nature of the country would not admit of forcing the American Commander to an engagement, made a fudden movement towards Kingsbridge, and unexpectedly invested Fort Washington, a strong post, which the Americans, contrary to the earnest advice of General Lee, ocсиpied on the North River, oppofite to which was Fort Lee on the Jersey fide. The commander of the fortres refusing to furrender to the fummons of General Howe, it was by an immediate and vigorous affault carried sword in hand, and more than 2000 men made prisoners of war. On this acquifition, Lord Cornwallis was detached with a strong body of forces to form the investment of Fort Lee, but found it already abandoned by the garrifon, who retired with such precipitation as to leave behind them their artillery, provifions, and stores. General Washington, who had paffed the North River with a view to the protection of the province of Jersey, now found himself compelled to retreat with a very diminished force to Newark, VOL. II. whence

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whence he fell back on the approach of Lord Cornwallis to Brunswick, leaving Newark the very morning that his Lordship entered it. As the van of Lord Cornwallis's army advanced to Brunswick, by a forced march, December 1, General Washington retreated to Prince-town, having firft broken down the bridge erected there over the Rariton. As the orders of his Lordship were pofitive not to advance beyond Brunswick, he here fent dispatches to the Commander in Chief, expreffing fanguine hopes, that by a continued pursuit he could entirely disperse the army under General Washington, and seize his heavy baggage and artillery before he could pass the Delawar. But General Howe would not revoke his order, faying only that he would join his Lordship immediately: but this junction did not take place till after an important interval of several days, and the Americans were once more faved by the cold and dilatory policy of the English General.

On the 7th, Lord Cornwallis advanced to Prince-town, which the Americans had scarcely quitted; and the van of his Lordship's army reached at midnight, December 8, the banks of the Delawar, juft as the rear-guard of the Americans gained the opposite shore. Here a cessation of the purfuit became indispensable, as no boats could be procured for transporting the troops over that great river. During this memorable retreat, General Lee,

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at the head of a confiderable body of troops, had followed the track of Lord Cornwallis, but at too great a distance to be of any service to the Commander in Chief. It seemed as if his proud and envious mind, which could brook no fuperiority, would have been gratified by the total defeat and ruin of General Washington, to whom he would, in all probability, have fucceeded as Generaliffimo of the forces of America. But it was otherwise decreed, and an unlooked-for and unspeakable mortification and disgrace awaited him. While he lay carelessly and without a guard at a place called Basking-ridge, intelligence of his fituation was communicated to Colonel Harcourt, who instantly formed a plan for capturing this able officer, styled by the British army, "the American Palladium." With such address and activity was this project carried into execution, that the General was seized by a party of light horse, conducted by the Colonel in the night of the 13th of December 1776, and carried safely off to the British Camp, though several guarded posts and armed patroles lay in their way. This capture caused great exultation, and the prisoner was confined in the closest manner. An offer being made by the Congress to exchange fix Field Officers for the General, it was answered, that General Lee, being a deserter from his Majesty's service, did not come under the denomination of a prisoner of war, nor was he entitled

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